Tourist season in Crimea disrupted due to eco-disaster in Tuapse

Following attacks on oil depots and an oil spill near the Russian city of Tuapse, environmentalists warn of a threat to the Black Sea coast and the possible approach of an oil slick to Crimea. Meanwhile, on the peninsula itself, the start of the holiday season is already being called a failure due to the Ukrainian armed forces' strikes, logistical problems, and massive cancellations.

This was reported by Krym. Realii.

The holiday season in the occupied Crimea began with the disruption of reservations, empty beaches and new environmental threats from the Russian city of Tuapse. Despite the statements of the Russian-controlled authorities about the peninsula's "full readiness" to receive tourists, local sources and experts say that there has been a sharp drop in tourist traffic and panic among hotel and recreation center owners.

According to Crimean tour guides, the poor start to the season was caused by cold weather, regular closures of the Kerch Bridge, and constant attacks on military and fuel facilities in Crimea. Because of this, many Russian tourists refused to travel just before the May holidays.

Tourism expert from Yevpatoria Serhiy Vikarchuk noted that the situation for the tourism sector is only getting worse. According to him, more and more beaches are being used for military purposes, and the tourist flow has changed - instead of wealthy vacationers, state employees and the Russian military are increasingly coming to Crimea on preferential vouchers.

The attacks on Tuapse dealt an additional blow to the reputation of Russian Black Sea resorts. After the drone strikes, large-scale fires broke out at oil depots and in the port, and some oil products got into the Black Sea. Satellite images showed the oil slick moving toward Crimea and Gelendzhik.

Professor of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and environmentalist Yevhen Khlobystov warned that the pollution could pose a danger to anyone who will be vacationing on the Black Sea coast. According to him, the Russian authorities are trying to minimize the scale of the problem so as not to scare away tourists, but the consequences for the ecosystem could be long-lasting.

Also, in the temporarily occupied Crimea this summer, not only rescuers but also drones will be monitoring vacationers at sea.

Анна Бальчінос